Submarine tunnel.



No. 634,322. Pate nted Oct. 3, I899. G. H. BUCKELEW.

SUBMABINE TUNNEL. (Application filed July 29, 1899.) (No Illodai.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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CHARLES II. BUGKELElV, OF PLAINFIELD, NEIV JERSEY.

SUBMARINE TUNNEL- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,322, dated October 3, 1899.

., Applicatioufiled July 20, 1899. Serial No. 724,450. (No modeLl rine tunnels composed of sections that are built upon shore and are floated to the location of the tunnel, where the sections are lowered to place either upon the bed of the waterway or into a trench'excavated for the reception of the tunnel-sections. In placing these tunnel-sections in position difficulty is experienced in holding the long sections in position while the connecting adjacent ends are being securely connected togetherand before the earth, stone, or other filling material is placed beneath and around the tunnel-sections, and the object of my invention is to overcome these difficulties.

In carrying out my invention I employ a series of adjustable piers, a number of which are connected to each tunnel-section. These piers are adapted to be lowered from within the tunnelsections when the same are in the position desired, the bearing-plates of the piers finding a resting-place upon the mud or other bottom of the waterway at various heights, according to the undulations of the same, so as to support the tunnel-sections while the adjacent ends are being connected and the filling is placed around'the sections. These piers each comprise an approximately vertical adjustable shaft with a bearing-plate attached to the lower end of the shaft. The shaft extends through the lower part of the tunnel-section andup within the same, and means are provided for dropping the shaft and the bearing-plate and for holding the same in position thereafter so that the tunnel-section is supported in the desired position.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical crosssection of a tunnel-section composed of two cylinders and tramways. Fig. 2 is an elevation in larger size of one of the adjustable piers, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation and partial section of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

The tunnel-cylindersab maybe of any desired length, .and as shown in the drawings eye 2 of the shaft.

they occupy an adjacent position to one anotherand are connected by a covering of concrete c.

Within the cylinders a b are tracks (Z d between them, a manhole c and cover, and a connecting-throat 6. These sections are preferably built on shore and floated to the location where they are to be lowered to place. They may be guided orassisted by guy-ropes 1,eXtending to any suitable supporting or guiding vessel or device, and the tunnel-section may have only one cylinder and track, the sections and the manner of making the same, however, forming no part of the present invention. The adjustable piers employed in series and connected to these tunnel-sections preferably each comprise a shaft h, occupying an approximately vertical position and vertically adjustable, as hereinafter set forth. shaft is a bearing-plate i, secured in any desired manner and having a surface of suit able area. The lower end of the shaft h and the bearing-plate i are outside of the tunnelsection, and the shaft it passes up through a sleeve 70. This sleeve is shown as part of a stuffing-box 7c, the sleeve 76 passing through the shell of the tunnel and through the concrete c, the same, with the stuffing-130x75, being securely connected to the inner surface of the shell. The shaft h passes up through this sleeve, through the stnfiingbox, and through a cross-head m, and the upper portionof the shaft is screw-threaded and the upper end'provided with an eye at 2. At either side of the shaft h are vertical plates Z Z, preferably of shaped angle-iron or steel, whose upper and lower ends are securely riveted to the inner surface of the shell, the said plates forming, with the cross-head m, a frame securely connected to the shell of the tunnel. Upon the screw-threaded portion of the shaft there are nuts 71 n at opposite sides of the Upon the lower end of the cross-head m, and upon the upper portion of the plates Z Z is an eye-frame 0. In the normal position of the adjustable pier a rope 3 suspends the shaft h and the bearing-plate 1 in the highest position that the said parts can assume, with the nut a adjacent to the The rope 3 and the upper position of the nut 17, are shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2.

In the operation of the parts when the tunnel-section is floated to its proper location and lowered to approximately its position, with the adjacent ends in position for being rigidly connected, the tunnel-section is entered by workmen, who sever the ropes 3 and allow the shafts h and the bearing-plates to fall. The distance to which the bearing-plate and shaft will descend isgoverned by the surface of the mud or other substance at the bottom of the waterway, the said plate descending until the material beneath it is of suiiicient solidity to support the weight of the base-plate and shaft. The tunnel-section is then adjusted to position, after which the nuts 11 n are moved along the shafts it until they come at opposite sides of the cross-head an, where the nuts are clamped against the cross-head to support the tunnel-section upon the shafts h and the bearing-plates 2. 'When the filling of stone or earth around the tunnel-sections is completed, these bearingplates serve the purpose of anchors, assisting in preventing the future movement or displacement of the tunnel-sections.

I claim as my invention 1. I11 a submarine tunnel, the combination with tunnel-sections, of a series of adjustable piers. each comprising a bearing-plate outside of the section an approximately vertical shaft connected therewith and passing up through and within the tunnel section, a means for adjusting and for clamping the position of the said shaft and bearing-plate, substantially as set forth.

2. In a submarine tunnel, the combination with the tunnel-section, of a series of adjustable piers each comprising a base-plate outside of the tunnel-section, an approximately vertical shaft connected at its lower end to the bearing-plate and extending up through and into the tunnel-section, a frame having a cross-head through which the shaft passes, the upper end of the shaft being threaded and provided with clamping-nuts coming at opposite sides of the cross-head, substantially as set forth.

3. In submarine tunnels, the combination with the tunnel-section, of a series ofadjustable piers each comprising a bearing-plate outside the tunnel-section, an approximately vertical shaft connected at its lower end to the beariugplate and extending up through and into the tunnel-section, a sleeve for the shaft passing through the tunnel-section, a stuffing-box through which the shaft passes to prevent the entrance of water into the tunnel-section, a frame secured to the inner face of the tunnel-section and having a cross-head through which the upper end of the said shaft passes, the upper end of the shaft being screwthreaded and provided with nuts upon opposite faces of the cross-head as a means for clamping the shaft in position, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the tunnel-sections of a submarine tunnel, of a bearingplate 1' outside the tunnel-section, the shaft it connected thereto at the lower end and screwthreaded at the upper end, the sleeve and stuffing-box 7a through which the shaft passes, a frame connected to the shell of the tunnelsection and composed of vertical vplates H and a cross-head m, nuts n n upon the screwthreaded end of the shaft and at opposite sides of the cross-head m, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the tunnel-sections of a submarine tunnel, of a bearingplate 2' outside the tunnel-section, the shaft 7!, connected thereto at the lower end and screwthreaded at the upper end, the sleeve 70 and stuffing-box 70' through which the shaft passes, a frame connected to the shell of the tunnelsection and composed of vertical plates ll and a cross-head m, nuts 11 it upon the screwthreaded end of the shaft and at opposite sides of the cross-headm, an eye-frame 0 connected to the upper end of the plates Z Z, an eye 2 at the end of the shaft h for a rope to connect and to suspend the said shaft and its bearing-plate from and by the eye-frame 2, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed by me this 15th day of July, 1899.

CHAS. H. BUCKELElV.

Vitnesscs:

GEO. T. 'PINCKNEY, E. E. 170mm. 

